Attachment for beds



May 27, 1930?v l.. R. DOUGHERTY 1,760,303

2 Sheets-Sheet l May 27, 1930. L. R. DOUGHERTY ATTACHMENT FOR BEDS Filed March 1'7, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 16 if M 5,15-

Patented May 27, 1930 means i. narran sTATEs PATENT ortica LAURENCE R. DOUGHERTY, OF PENFIELI), PENNSYLVANIA; ASSIGNOB TO H. I). DOUG-HEREBY & COMPANY, INCORPORATED, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA,

A CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA ATTACHIVII-TTl vF013, BEDS Application filed March 17, 1928. Serial No. 2G2,580.

My invention relates to hospital beds broadly but more especially to beds in which means is provided for lifting or elevating the patient above the mattress in order to change the bed linen and for other purposes.

In hospital beds of this character' means is provided which may rest upon and be interposed between the mattress and the patient and which is adapted to be elevated to lift or elevate the patient to a position above tlie'bed for the purpose above stated and for other purposes which will be' setforth more fully hereinafter.

The general object of the invention is to provide an improved and novel construction of means for moving and supporting a pa.- tient in anl elevated position above the mattress of a bed.

A more speciiic object of the invention is to provide mechanism of the character indicated includingmeans whereby the opposite end portions of the elevating means may be elevated to different positions or heights.

It also is an object of the invention to provide mechanism of the character indicated including means of novel construction where- 'by one end of the portion of the mechanism upon which the patient is supported may be adjusted into angular position with respect to the remaining portion thereof for the purpose of supporting a patient in a sitting posture. I

`Without attempting to point out here more fully the 'objects and advantages of the invention I shall proceed to describe the same in detail and in the further description thereof will point out other objects and advantages incident to the invention. Moreover certain objects of the linvention which may not be mentioned specifically will be apparent from the description and the drawings.

In order that the invention may be readily understood and its many practical advantages fully appreciated reference should be had to the accompanying drawings wherein I have illustrated that embodiment thereof which is at present preferred by me. However, it is to'be understood that the invention, issusceptible of embodiment in other forms of construction than that shown and that changes in the details of construction may be made within the scope of the claims without departing from the invention or the principle thereof.

In the drawings:

Fig. l is a view in side elevation of a bed provided with mechanism embodying my invention, a portion of the latter being shown in section;

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 3, an intermediate portionbeing broken away and removed and other portions shown enlarged;

F ig.V 3 is a. transverse sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2; Fig. 4 is a view in horizontal section of an end portion of the bed and of the mechanism associated therewith embodying my vinvention, the said View being taken on the line 4 4 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a vertical sectional view taken on the line 5 5 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a similar view showing certain of the parts in different positions; and

Fig. 7 is a top plan view of reduced size of the mechanism or means embodying the invention.

In the drawings I have shown a bed of any known construction rhavingside rails or bars 1 and 2 supported at their opposite ends upon the legs of the head and foot frames 3 and k4. A mattress supporting spring 5 of any known construction is supported at its opposite ends upon angle bars 6 which are supported upon their opposite ends upon the side rails 1 and 2 of the bed. The mattress is shown at Zsupported upon .the spring 5.

-I shall notdescribe the bed-stead, the mattress and the mattress supporting spring in any further detail because those parts .may be constructed in any way-which may be known and desired. v

.1I shallrnowproceed to a description of that portion of the structure to which my invention specifically relates and as the description unfolds the operation and advan tages of the mechanism will be more clearly understood and more fully appreciated.

.f In the embodiment of the invention as illustrated I have provided rods or shafts l0 and 11 supported at their opposite ends in bearing openings provided in brackets 12 depending from the opposite side rails of the bedstead as shown. These rods or shafts and 11 are each provided with right and left helixes formed upon the portions thereof upon'opposite sides of the middle or medial portions thereof. The portions of the said roes or shafts which are mounted within the openings or bearings in the brackets 12 are (':ylindrical so` that rotation thereof may be etl'ected without any tendency to longitudinal movement in either direction. As a mattei' of fact, longitudinal m vement in either direction is prevented by the presence of the outer ends of the helixes 15 which are in adjoining relation to the brackets 12 as illustrated, 'for instance. in Figs. 3 and 4. Nuts 16 are mounted upon 'the helixes 15. Upon rotation of either of the said rods 10` or 11 the nuts 16 thereon` which are held against rotation as hereinafter will be described, are adjusted sin'iultaneously toward or from each other, depending upon the direction of rotation. For example, if it be assumed that the rod 11 shown in 3 be rotated in a clockwise direction by means of the handle 20 secured upon one end thereof the nuts 16 will be adjusted simultaneously away from each other or toward the opposite outer ends of the said rod. If the said rods should be rotated in the opposite or in an anti-clockwise direction the said nuts would be moved simultaneously inwardly toward each other *j and toward the middle part of the said rod.

The handle 20, to which reference has been made`r occupies. when in use to effect rotation of a rod l0 or 11. a substantially vertical position as shown in Fig. 3 and is retained in said position by means of the holding member 21 provided with ears 22 upon opposite sides thereof which are pivoted to ears 23 which latter are pivoted at 24 to a rod or shaft 10 or 11 at a point in adjoining relation to an end thereof. A spring 25 secured to the handle 2O contacts with the outer end of the holding member 21`to hold it in a position substantially at right angles to the length of the handle 20. lts operation to hold the handle 2O in a vertical position as shown in Fig. 3 is obvious. Then the handle is turned toward theright, having reference to Fig. 3, the holding member 21 contacts yieldingly with the end of the rod or shaft 10 or 11, as the case may be, and operates to hold the handle 20 in inwardly adjusted position underneath the structure.

Links are pivotally connected at their Vlower ends to the nuts 16 and at their upper ends to lugs or projections 31 which extend downwardly from the side members 33 of a frame 34. Preferably the side and end members of the frame 34 are tubular for the sake of lightness of construction. The depending` lugs or projections 31 are located in adj oinino relation to the opposite ends of the side members 33.

rihe connection of the lower ends of the links 30 to the nuts 16 prevents the latter from rotating when the rods or shafts 10 and 11 are rotated for the purpose of adjusting the said nuts.

lt will be apparent. that upon rotation of the rods or shafts 10 and 11 to adjust the nuts 16 thereon Ato move the lower ends of the links 3() in or out vertical adjustment of the frame above the mattress 7 is effected. lt will. be apparent that either the rod or shaft 10 or 11 may be adjusted independently of the other, and it also will be apparent that if one only of the said rods be adjusted the frame will be adjusted to occupy a position of angularity with respect to a horizontal plane, as indicated by the broken lines 36 in Fig. 2 of the drawings.

A sheet 40 of suitable fabric is supported inside of the frame 34. The greater portion of the said sheet is connected directly to the frame 34 and for that purpose a suitable cord or string is laced through openings 41 in adjoining relation to the edges of the sides and ends thereof and around the side memn bers 33 and the end member in adjoining relation to the foot portion or end of the bed- Y stead. The remaining portion of the sheet 40 is connected with a yokeshaped member 43 the inner ends of the opposite sides of which are pivotally connected by Vmeans of pivots 44 to the side members 33. The closed Y portion of the yoke member 43 is adapted to be positioned inside of and in adjoining relation to the end of the frame member 34 which is located in adjoining relation to the head end or portion of theNbed-ste'd. ThevyokeyV shaped member 43 is adapted to be elevated or adjusted upwardly about the pivots 44 and is adapted to be held in such elevated adjusted position by means of links 45. The inner ends of these links are pivoted to project-ions 46 which extend downwardly from the opposite sides of the U-shaped member 43. The outer free end portions of the said links are widened as indicated at 47'and are connected together by means of a tie rod 48. The said outer end portions also extend downwardly and form slight angles with the remaining portions of the said links. Slots 50 are provided in the said outer end portions which slots extend longitudinally of said portions and are of a width to permit the movement or passage therethrough of a rod 51' which is supported at its opposite ends upon the opposite side members 33 of the frame 34. The upper sides of the slots 50 are provided with notches as indicated at 52 with which the said rod 51 is adapted to be engaged. Slidable movement of the links 45 with rrespect to the rod 51 is caused or effected by pivotally moving the U-shaped member 43 upwardly about the pivots 44, as will be apparent when it is )jections t6 to which the said are located a distance trom ted, pivotal upward move- :e-shaped member e3 causes ,t ot the links l5 with respect o i hs these links slide over the 'od 5l tie respective notches 52 engage the latter and hold the said links against return movement or movement in the opposite direction. I" will be seen, therefore, that the portion or the sheet l0 which is connected with the lli-shaped member i3 may be supported in angular position or relation to the remaining portion thereof by means of the links having the notches 52 which engage the rod 51.

In the construction as illustrated I have provided tour notches in the upper edge ot each slot. T he rod 51 occupies two ot these notches shown. It will be noted that when the inner notches are engaged by the rod 51 the sheet 40 occupies horizont-al position. It the rod 51 be caused to engage with the next adjoining notches the frame 4-3 and the portion of Jthe sheet el() connected therewith will be held in a slightly angular position. It the links are moved so as to cause the next succeeding notches to engage the rod 51 the sheet will be held in a position of greater angularity and so on until the final notches adjoining the outer ends of the links l5 are placed in engagement with the rod 51.

By adjusting the nuts 16 upon the rods or shatts 10 and 11 inwardly or toward the middles of the said shafts the sheet 40 may be lowered into position to rest upon the upper side ot the mattress 7 or upon the linen covering which may be present thereon. On the other hand, it the nuts 16 are adjusted to positions in adjoining relation to the outer ends ot the helines ot the shatts 10 and 11, as shown tor example in Fig. 3, the said sheet and the support therefor are elevated to positions a substantial distance above the top ot the mattress 7, at which time the linen upon the mattress may be removed or changed.

For the purpose of guiding the trame 34 in its vertical adjustments I have provided rods which in the construction illustrated depend trom the opposite ends ot the trame 34. These rods ent-er and are guided by vertically positioned tubular members or sections 56 which are connected with and supported by cross bars 57, the latter being supported at their opposite ends upon the side rails 1 and Q of the bed-stead. These bars 57 are located in contiguous relation to the opposite ends of the said rails. l

Tder the purpose of enabling and permitting angular adjustment of the trame 34, as has been described previously, the external diameters of the depending rods 55 are somewhat less than the internal diameters of the tubular guiding members 56 so that there is considerable play. As further means of providing tor such angular adjustment the opposite ends ot' the bars 57 are loosely connected with the side rails 1 and 2. The said connection is effected by means ot bolts 58 which extend through slots 59 in the opposite iiat ends ot the bars 57. It will be noted that the holes 60 in the horizontal flanges oit the side rails 1 and 2 through which the bolts 58 entend are somewhat larger than the bolts so that there may be slight tilting motion ot the bolts in case the frame Se should be adjusted into angular position.

In Fig. 5 of the drawings, in which the tubular guide member 56 is shown in vertical position, it will be noted that the Vbar 57 occupies a substantially horizontal position; but in Fig. 6, in which the guide .member 56 is shown in a tilted position, it will be noted that the bar to which it is connected has been slid or moved slightly inwardly from the adjoining end of the rail and that it is tilted. The looseness of the fit of the depending rods in the tubular guide members 56 and the tilting of the supporting bars 57 and ot the bolts 58 is suitlicient to permit such angular adjustment ot the trame 34 as may be desired.

I have provided the sheet 40 with an opening to facilitate the use of a bed-pan by a helpless patient.

It will be seen that by my invention I have provided a bed having means associated therewith tor `facilitating the care of helpless patients which not only is highly efficient but also is extremely simple in construction and operation.

Having thus described my invention. what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In combination, a bed, a frame having means for supporting aperson, means for supporting said trame in position above the bed. means for vertically adjusting the opj'icsite ends ot said trame independently ot each other whereby the said frame may be placed in angular position with respect to the plane ot the opposite side rails ot the bed, f

means tor guiding the said 'frame in its vertical adjustn'ients the. said means comprising projections which depend from the said tra-ine, and tubular projectioilswhich extend upwardly from the bed structure, the said projections being in telescopic engagement with each other a nd relatively axially adjustable, and means tor pivctally supporting said tubular projections whereby angular adjustment thereotn may be permitted. c

2. In combination, a bed having side rails, a frame member having means for supporting a person, rods extending transversely ot the bed and supported at their opposite ends upon the said rails, each of the said rods being provided with right and left hand screw threads, nuts mounted upon the screw threaded portions of the said rods, links having direct connection at their lower ends With the said nuts and at their upper ends With the Said frame member, means for rotating` the said roos to eieot vertical adjustments of the said trarne nioinber above the bed, and

means for guiding the said frame member in its Vertical adjustments, the said means comprising projections which depend 'from the said frame member and tubular projections which extend upwardly from the bed structure, the said projections being in engagement with each other and beingl relatively adjustable axially, the said tubular projections being pivotally supported whereby angular adjustment o1" the Said frame relative toa horizontal plane may be permitted. In Witness that l claim the foregoing as my invention l have' hereunto signed my naine this 14th day of March, A. D. 1928.

LAURENCE DOUGHERTY. 

